Cdammyn Jaem
by The Shadowess
Summary: SeymourxTidus When the fayth sends a warning, take heed. When the fayth sends a warning, friends become enemies, hearts will shatter, and a desperate love will struggle to survive...
1. One

Cdammyn Jaem

a screen of stars

…………………..

Tidus stared sullenly at the ground, dragging his feet. A stiff breeze twisted its way around them. He shivered and hugged himself. Why did blitzball outfits have to be so skimpy? The sky was clouding, showing promise of snow.

"Hey, man, ain't too cold for you?"

Tidus looked up at Wakka. _Oh, sure, like you aren't cold either._

"Back in Besaid, we Aurochs used to do endurance training, ya? Stayed in the sea at night an all that. Really helps out on the field, you know."

_That's nice. Now kindly excuse me while I pass out._

Wakka patted him on the back, wrinkling Tidus's shirt so yet more frigid air was able to pass onto his skin. Bliss. "Well, you'll get used to it. Too bad you don't have a coat or anything, eh?" Wakka jogged forward a bit to catch up with Lulu, unaware of the quiet seething being aimed towards his back.

_That's right. Too bad._ Too bad he was that whiny summoner's 'guardian', too bad it was his 'duty' to keep her warm––namely giving up his own welfare for hers.

He jammed his hands into his pockets, a vain attempt to warm _them_ so he could warm his arms so _they_ could try an equally hopeless task of warming the rest of his body. Naturally, it did nothing positive or rather, heat–based, however he did manage to brush his fingers over the smooth surface of the sphere weighing down his pocket. Not only did he succeed in drawing more cold from the sphere into his bones, but the residual magic that kept the sphere let his mind slip briefly into the memory it contained.

Jecht's sheepish face, hesitant but firm, half glaring at Tidus in his mind. His mouth moved, though he heard nothing, but he could still remember what he said.

'_But you know what? There's a time when you have to stop crying and move on.'_.

It was hard. He wanted to go back home, _his_ home, not some crapped–up ruin of a Zanarkand that existed so long ago it hardly mattered. And…the aim of every being's life here, in Spira, especially with his companions, was to defeat their natural enemy Sin. Meaning he had to, too.

It scared him, sometimes, thinking about it. Because Jecht _was_ Sin, meaning to defeat _it_ was to kill _him_, a less than pleasing thought, and aside from all the trouble of a pilgrimage, guard work, fighting fiends and the less–than–pleasant, ouch–I–just–got–maimed–by–a–dual–horn, hey–look–a–temple–let's–go–heal–ourselves–with–the–priests'–help, and–what–do–you–mean–I–have–to–go–back–outside–to–get–gored–in–half–again? routine, killing your own father really wasn't the most fun thing to do.

Even if it _was_ Jecht.

He supposed he should feel bad for Jecht for going through this all, but he couldn't bring himself to it. There were too many scars; too much of his life, too long of a period he had lived without his father showing a single, even drunken, sign of love or pride or any positive feeling towards his son. No. Hell, he admitted his reluctance to defeat him despise all this, but he still hated him, with his whole soul, and the pyreflies that held his spirit together. And that was all. It had to be all.

…_Right?_

_Right?_

"Right?"

"Mm––huh?" Tidus blinked.

Yuna, the quiet summoner, had fallen back to walk next to him. She looked curiously up into his face.

"I said, we're going to go left next fork to find the inn, right?"

He brushed a strand of hair out of his face and tucked it behind his ear. It was growing steadily longer, and there just wasn't time to cut it, unless you meant for a couerl to bite it off. "Yeah, that's right. To Rin's." His lock of hair determinedly managed to fall into his face again. He pushed it back. It resisted, falling back to cover his left eye.

Yuna stayed silent for a moment. "…You are alright, then?"

"Huh?" He stopped, letting it fall again.

"You seem…distressed," she said simply.

_How is she able to tell?_ Yuna was always supposed to be the one easy–read, not him. If even she could tell something was wrong, he must not have been doing as good a job of keeping to himself as he thought. Apparently, from the whispered conversation from Rikku to Auron, and then the doubled glance towards him, which he chose to blissfully ignore, he was right. "Tidus?"

"Nnn…"

She tugged at his sleeve. He pulled away slightly. "I'm okay."

"You are sure?"

"_Yes_."

Stupid, annoying, nagging girl. She wouldn't leave _anyone_ alone, no matter what. No one else seemed to see that, though. Even Lulu, in Guadosalam, got the wrong idea and actually asked him if he _liked_ her. As if he could like _her_. At all.

Ugh. No way.

But he still couldn't shake that time in Bevelle. When Yuna…married _him_. Seymour. He didn't want to admit it, but when he watched them kiss, he had the strangest feeling in his stomach. Something like hopelessness. Or…jealousy.

Jealous? Over _her?_ It just wasn't right. He didn't even like her. Did he? And there wasn't even proof that who he felt it for was Yuna. But then again, the only person left was…

No. Maybe liking Yuna was weird, but _Seymour_? It was just…not right. And wasn't Seymour evil? Evil, dead, a Guado with power. He couldn't like him.

It was probably Yuna. Just like those sitcoms back in his Zanarkand, with a person not liking someone but in the end it all changed, then they got all happy until one of them was hit by a truck. That was probably it. He probably liked Yuna and didn't want to admit it. Ignore the truck bit, and he would be fine.

Yeah.

Somehow he wasn't convinced.

A dry twig snapped on the ground. Tidus lifted his head, startled, and saw Auron walking towards him; hand absently straying across his belt to make sure his katana was secure. Auron opened his mouth to speak, but Tidus shook his head and started to move away. A firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Hey."

He gave a faint grunt in reply.

"Look at me."

Tidus looked up.

"You…" Auron stopped at the faintly haunted look on his face. "Are you alright?"

Tidus rubbed his eyes. "I'm not really sure."

Auron looked at him for a moment. "Um…" he hesitated. "The fayth," he started. Tidus gave a vague nod. Yes. Auron was an unsent, like Seymour. He could hear the voices of the fayth itself. "It's calling a warning. And I think y—"

"Yunie! Look out!"

Eight heads went up in unison.

A charred mark on the ground from a Firaga. A set of long, tapering, claw-like fingers, slowly withdrawing into a silken blue sleeve. The train from the robe of a Maester, and…

_Oh._

_Him._

Seymour looked expectantly at them. "Hello again." His eyes flickered to Yuna before settling for a brief pause to Tidus.

Tidus blinked nervously. Was he going to be attacked next?

Wakka held out his blitzball savagely. "Seymour," he growled.

"It is nice to see you again, too." His eyes left Tidus to stare calmly at Wakka. He raised his arm.

Wakka heaved his blitzball forward, and they immediately started attacking. Yuna stayed towards the back, Tidus guarding her, as she sent out null spells as fast as she could.

_None of it's working._

Auron seemed to have the same thought. He yelled at Tidus, while Rikku darted forward to distract Seymour. "Use your spiral cut!"

Seymour watched as Tidus turned to Auron.

Tidus nodded. He closed his eyes, waiting for the exact moment when he would know when to attack.

Nothing came.

_What?_

Not good. It was too late to wait now, so he might as well—Tidus began charging towards Seymour, sword drawn and glinting in the sunlight. A cold wind splashed at his cheeks.

Seymour stood quietly, waiting almost expectantly for Tidus to come. He stayed completely still, while Tidus thought only about completing his attack. A moment before the sword cut him, he spoke.

"Is this what you want to do?"

Tidus involuntarily stopped. "Huh?"

"You truly wish to defeat me? To kill me, for good?"

"What…"

"Is that what is best?"

His arm lowered. "I…"

"Do you have a reason?"

"I'm…I don't know."

"Do you?"

"I…"

"Do you?"

"I don't know!_ Okay?_" He bit his lip. This was way happening too fast. Such a short time, and he was already confused. Or upset. Whichever one.

Seymour sighed. "Yes. I apologize. You've…been through too much. I suppose it's not exactly fair to do this to you before you come."

_Do what? Come where?_

And how would _he_ know about all he had been through?

"Hey—oh!" Rikku pounded on an invisible wall. Seymour lowered his arm. Tidus watched for a moment as the others caught up and tried to peer through the walls, which magic was clouding their vision.

A hand on his cheek brought him back. "Poor boy…"

_What is he doing?_

"You shouldn't have to have this sort of life."

"What do you…"

"Don't pretend."

He stopped.

"You know what you live, don't you?"

Tidus nodded, slowly. "…Hell."

"That's right. That was my life too. I can't, not for me, anymore, and I don't mind it much now…but…I can help you." His eyes locked onto his.

"…Help…me?" He closed his eyes, realizing he had gone slightly dizzy. Two arms reached over and gripped his firmly, steadying him until he was ready.

_What the_ _hell is he dong?_ "How?"

Seymour leaned in, close to his face, until Tidus could feel his breath. He shivered. The others, unable to see clearly what was going on, only the two forms nearing each other with the shorter one unmoving, pounded and shouted louder over the barrier.

"To leave them," he whispered into his ear. Tidus flinched. "It hurts you, doesn't it? To be with such while you suffer?" Tidus's eyes widened. "You could…come with me."

"…With you?"

"You could come with me, and forget all this. We could leave all our memories behind and start new, painless ones. We could defeat Sin together and stay out the Calm."

It was…appealing. So appealing. Strangely enough, it seemed a perfect way, of, of everything, but just one thing…

"…Why? Why me? Why would you want to help me?"

Seymour stared at him for a moment, then moved even closer towards him, if possible. Tidus, about to ask again, suddenly stopped midbreath as Seymour pressed his lips to his.

He dropped his Brotherhood, which he, until now, had unknowingly still been in a death grip in his hand.

_What the HELL is he doing?_

Seymour pulled away, his face still inches for Tidus's. "Because…I love you."

_Me?_

He reached for his hand. "I love you, like _they_ never have." He glanced at the others futilely hacking at his barrier with their hands. "Come with me, and we both may be…happy."

Tidus stared into his face, then over at his friends still shouting at him, muffled voices anxiously asking him if he was still all right from what they couldn't see.

"Staying with them will only hurt you more. And I wish only…for your happiness. Leave them…" He watched Tidus's expression. "…come…with me…"

"…I'm…"

"Will you?" He brought his hands up to squeeze Tidus's arms.

Tidus bit down hard on his tongue, battling with himself to keep his "yes" from coming out. He pushed Seymour away. "There's nothing wrong with me and them," he managed to say, all the while looking determinedly at the ground. His hands unconsciously clenched into fists. "They're not that bad. Just…annoying. But they're my…friends."

I never had a chance to think. This is too sudden. I…just can't…

"I'll be perfectly fine…you'll see. Just…leave me…alone…"

Seymour relinquished his grip. He sighed. "I will…for now. But you will realize your mistake. They aren't your friends. They use you, and they may care for you now, but the moment you try and think for yourself, they _will_ turn on you. You will change your mind."

"…No. No, I won't."

Seymour signed the Yevon prayer. "You will. And sooner than you think. Much sooner."

_How fast does he expect me to do that? As if I would._

"I shall return tomorrow…love."

"What…" Tidus looked up.

He was gone.

Tomorrow? And…love?

The magical wall faded. Rikku shrieked and dashed forward, but just before she could grab him in a giant bear hug to make sure he was still whole, he sank to the ground next his waterlike sword.

"H-hey! Are you okay?" Rikku hopped nervously up to him as the others caught up.

"What did he do to you?" Auron bent down.

Tidus didn't seem to hear them. He cupped his face in his hands, staring angrily through the cracks between his fingers at stone-packed dirt. "I won't. I promise I won't. You're wrong…you…have to be…"

"Who's wrong?"

Tidus stood up. He started walking down the hill, then running, until he reached the bottom and threw the Brotherhood halfway into the ground. "Dammit!" He kicked at a small rock, sending it spiraling off into the distance.

The others gathered silently, slightly away from him. He stared at his sword in the ground, letting his breath out in small pants. As if suddenly making a decision, he whirled around and glared at the others.

"Well?" He demanded, giving a slightly angry smile. "I thought we were going to get to Rin's before nightfall. Shouldn't we get moving?"

"Oh…right."

They started moving, a quiet procession towards their destination.

Tidus stayed awake all night.


	2. Two

Cdammyn Jaem

a screen of stars

…………………..

Tidus sank to the ground, his back against a tree. He kept his Brotherhood close to his side. Brotherhood…Wakka was the closest thing to a brother he ever had. A brother, to him. But not quite. More of a very close…friend. His first true friend in Spira. Rikku didn't count as the first, seeing as they only met by taking him prisoner.

'_They aren't your friends.'_

Tidus thought back to Seymour's words, ringing in a hollow sort of emptiness in his head. No, he was wrong. They were his friends. Wakka had even given him this sword. This…brotherhood. This token of trust, of friendship. Wakka wouldn't turn on him. Or anyone else, for that matter.

Seymour was lying. Yeah.

_But why would he?_

Seymour didn't have any reason to lie. Unless he thought taking Tidus away would weaken their defenses to protect Yuna? There _was_ a chance that he still wanted Yuna's power to help him become Sin.

It was possible.

He'd tried many times to take Yuna directly. Obviously, none of them had worked, not even when he had…married her. Tidus felt his throat tighten slightly. They had still beaten him, with their strength. Perhaps Seymour thought stealing him away would increase his chances of winning.

But still, he didn't seem like he was lying. He didn't seem to have a reason to.

And…he said he…that he…loved…me…

Tidus felt a strange fluttering sensation in his stomach, rather like a burst of pyreflies had exploded inside of him. His face flushed slightly, his body heating. He bit his lip, trying to control his breathing, slow it down.

_Why? Why is just thinking about…Seymour doing this to me?_ Why was it…exciting him so much?

It wasn't as if he _liked_ Seymour. No way. But then, just before Seymour came, wasn't he just thinking about…

No.

He wasn't sure why, but trying to admit he felt…an _attraction_, towards, towards Seymour gave him a sense of foreboding. Almost as if being…well…yeah, _with_ him would somehow put his entire life in turmoil. But how would that happen? _Who_ would make it happen?

'They use you, and they may care for you now, but the moment you try and think for yourself, they will turn on you.'

Tidus starting shivering. He wasn't sure why, but he was frightened.

'_You will change your mind.'_

_No,_ he thought. _No, no._

'_They aren't your friends.'_

_No, no, NO!_

He hugged his knees up to his cheat. He didn't want to think it, but something in the back of his head, something tiny, whispering, so quiet he could barely here, barely understand, but…Seymour was right.

"No…"

"No what?"

Tidus gasped. A face suddenly appeared out of nowhere, staring at him. He toppled over onto the ground.

Yuna gathered her skirts and sat down next to him. Tidus looked at her for a long moment before straightening, resuming his position against the tree.

He silently watched a miniscule insect fiend hopping in the grass near his foot. Tidus flicked it away with his forefinger.

"Well, no what?"

Oh, right. She had heard him. "No nothing," he replied, eyes still following the tiny fiend a few feet away, shaking it's head and stumbling over leaves. "I was just thinking about something."

"What, then?"

"It wouldn't matter to you anyway. It's stupid."

"Come on…" She smiled hopefully at him.

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

Yuna sighed, looking slightly disappointed. She stood, dusting herself off. "Alright then. I'm going back to the others. Just sit tight, we're almost done, okay?"

"I could—"

"No! Stay _here_. You should rest more." She ran off, clutching at her staff and her skirt to keep it from tangling up in her legs. Tidus leaned back and sighed.

Rin had apparently been busy at another of his Agencies, and so managing the inn was a friendly local man from a nearby town. Recognizing them as a Summoner and her Guardians, he had generously given them free board and rooms for a night. It was the least he could do, he had said, to repay them for the Calm to come. To show their thanks, they had agreed to clear out some of the fiends in the area to keep the inn's customers safe.

They had insisted Tidus to not join them. Apparently they had thought what had happened to him yesterday, whatever it was, was still affecting him somehow, so they didn't let him fight. They were right, of course, but he wanted to do _something_.

And besides, just sitting here, waiting, was _boring_. Even if he were fighting a huge fiend, it would've at least taken his mind off of what it was on now.

"Dammit."

He stood and walked around. Why couldn't he _stop_ thinking about him, not even for a second? He raised a hand to his lips, touching them gently.

He remembered their kiss.

Tidus quickly lowered his hand, heat coming to his face. It didn't really _count_ as a kiss, really, it was more of a one-sided thing. But he couldn't move, he couldn't _try_ to move when it had happened. He just froze, like a snow wolf caught in headlights. That is, if there _were_ headlights in Spira. Which there wasn't.

He groaned, scanning the anti-machina landscape spread out under the cliff on which he stood. Man, he missed Zanarkand.

…………………………………………(Ahh! My dot-dot-dot divider has returned in my newest fic! What is this world coming to?)

Rikku bounded through the woods, darting around trees and shrieking everything she said as a result of drinking one too many of her own homemade Al Bhed potions. "HEY! WE FIN--ISHED!" She sang, jumping into the clearing. "AND SO NOW WE CAN…huh? Where'd ya go?"

The others staggered up to Rikku, panting with the exhaustion of keeping up with her hyperactive self. As they regained their breath, they summoned up the energy to look up.

"Where did he…?"

"He was here a minute ago. I was with him."

Rikku skipped through the bramble. "Here you are!" She burst out of the brush, exposing Tidus who was looking off into the distance. He turned around.

"You guys done?"

"Uh-huh. Let's go _now_!" Rikku tugged at his arm. "Come _on_ come _on_ come _on_. Can't you look at the stupid sky _later_?"

_Stupid bitch…_ "Gimme a sec." He walked into a bush and reached down. "I've gotta get..."

He stood up, sword in hand, and realized they had already started without him. Not even Wakka's bright hair showed up through the dense trees.

"Come on…" Tidus walked out of the clearing, listening for a sound to tell him of the others' positions. Hearing a whisper, he padded over towards it, soft footsteps preventing even the dry leaves from crackling under his boots.

"It's kinda quiet here, ya?"

"Well it is, without _him_ around. He's the main attraction to fiends."

Tidus stopped.

"Worse than Rikku, eh?"

"No kidding. Fighting was a lot more fun without him today."

"He never does anything anyway."

Who was talking? One of them was Wakka, but the other, he couldn't tell.

Wakka?

_Why…_

Tidus pushed a leafy branch out of the way and began walking again. He saw everyone clearly now, the group following Auron, who was leading them. Tidus pushed towards the front.

"Hey, brudda, you feeling better 'bout yesterday?"

Tidus ignored him and walked right past.

Wakka blinked and watched his retreating back. Tidus was holding his sword in his right hand, as he always did when he felt uncomfortable. The tip was dragging along in the ground, darkening the soil as its water aura washed the blade free of dirt.

He seemed normal; at least Wakka thought so. Tidus was always like this, daydreaming, most likely, but he was never this distant. Wakka shrugged it off. It was probably because of Seymour. He failed to notice Tidus's whitened knuckles as he clenched the hilt of his Brotherhood in a deathly tight grip.

Safely behind Auron, Tidus finally let his breath out in a long, low sigh. He hadn't dared to breathe near Wakka. Why? Maybe he was afraid to show he had heard him and, and, whoever it was, talking.

_Why would it matter?_

Why _would_ it matter? Apparently, Wakka didn't like him much to begin with, so what difference would it make if he knew that Tidus knew he didn't? Tidus closed his eyes. Yes, he had a reason. Silly or not, he had a reason, and it scared him too much to find out whether or not he had been misled.

'_They aren't your friends.'_

He bit his lip.

Auron shifted his hold on his katana and glanced at the boy next to him. He had still not told him of his fayth prediction. He wasn't sure he should, now. Because it was starting, already, and to tell him could disrupt the natural flow of Spira. Of course, Tidus wasn't exactly helping his situation, right now. So vulnerable…what was the boy thinking? Walking with both eyes closed, like he was _offering_ himself openly to fiends, or danger, pretty much, in the overall scheme.

Almost as if to prove his point, Tidus chose that moment to trip over a tree root that protruded out through the ground. Auron gave a sort of snort.

"Stupid boy," he growled.

He began to feel slightly worried when Tidus made to sign of getting up. Auron kneeled down, hand raising a piece of Tidus's hair that was covering his face. "What's wrong?"

Tidus slowly picked himself up from the ground, stumbling a step before coming to a stop, swaying slightly as he stood. He brushed his hand against his eye then let it fall to his side.

"Sorry," he mumbled, not looking at him. "I got kinda dizzy for a sec. I'll be okay."

Auron thought again of the fayth. He mentally shook his head. "Alright then."

"I…I'm going to go ahead. I'll find a campsite for tonight and wait for you guys to come. See you in the evening." Tidus's fingers flew out in front of him as he twisted his suddenly glowing hand to form an intricate pattern that only he could see. A minute later he was dashing down the road, having just hasted himself.

Auron's finger traced the glimmers of vanishing magic. Yes, it was beginning. Most definitely beginning. And if _this_ was beginning, how would he care for Jecht's son?

…………………………………………

Tidus threw another branch at the steadily growing pile of firewood. He scratched a small mark in the center of a small area cleared of leaves and the bones of fiends, to mark where the fire would go.

Everyone else was somewhere else. Kimahri was scouting the area to make sure the campsite would be safe at night. The others, he didn't know. He wondered vaguely where Wakka was.

'I shall return tomorrow.'

_Where is he, then?_

Tidus smacked his forehead lightly with the palm of his hand. "What am I thinking," he muttered to himself. "It's not as if he's actually going to come. As if I wanted him to."

As if.

Suddenly Rikku cannonballed through his pile of wood and tripped over a log, knocking the entire stack over.

"Hey!" She yelled, kicking a branch out of the way. "Don't get this crap all up in my face!" She ran into the expanse of trees. Tidus glared after her, reluctantly putting the wood back into order.

_What the hell's with her…?_

Tidus stretched his arms and walked over a flowering plant into the forest. This was probably where everyone else was now. He might as well look for them.

Stepping out from under the protection of a densely woven tree, he stared at the rapidly moving clouds strewn across the wide expanse. The sky here…it was nice. The day grew dark quickly, and the illuminated stars showed up brighter than the light of the Farplane against the shading backdrop.

It was quiet, too. Nothing except the chirping of insects, and a barely audible sigh of a group of pyreflies. And whispers. There were a lot of whispers. If he stayed still, he could just hear…

"Oh…oops."

"Hey, what's wrong with you, ya? You look like a tomato."

Wakka, and the other from before.

"Haha…it figures. We've been running around all day, and I just feel like laughing."

"You should. Did you get a good look at him?"

"Why do you think I "look like a tomato," as you put it?"

"It could have been some makeup thing. You and those two…you can never tell, with girls."

A tinkling laugh.

Tidus's eyes widened. His heart stopped.

He recognized that voice.

_No…_

_That's not…_

"Yuna," he breathed.

No. That couldn't be right. Sure, he didn't like her much, but…Yuna was always…so _there_. She was always nagging if he was okay, could she help, joking…

Why…why _Yuna_?

But then again…

"…_They _will_ turn on you."_

He might have been right.

…………………………………………

Tidus hugged his knees closer to his chest as the fire glowed and flickered in front of him. The others were in relatively similar positions; obviously, it was colder than yesterday. Kimarhi was off in the forest exploring or taking a walk.

Tidus was still in shock.

He couldn't believe it. Why…why was this happening to _him_? Why not somebody else?

Why?

It wasn't as if he had _wanted_ this to happen. So why was it?

_It's not fair._

Then again, hardly anything in his life _was_ fair.

Tidus was trying furiously not to glare over at Wakka, who was closest. A loud crack startled them out of silence.

A bomb appeared, swelled up three times its natural size. It seemed rather annoyed; it was setting everything near it up in flames. Lulu shifted in position on the ground; with a lazy flick, the bomb sizzled and disappeared under a coat of ice.

Tidus blinked. Strange. Bombs weren't native to this part of Spira. In fact, he hadn't even seen a bomb since they were in Home, where the Guados had been setting them on the Al Bhed.

Guados.

Biting his lip, his mind worked furiously. If a bomb was here, that meant a guado could be here, too. And, if a Guado were here, that could well mean that…

_He_ could be here, too.

Just like promised.

Rikku, noticing his expression, helpfully voiced her thoughts out loud. "You look like you're about to cry," she remarked, none too kindly.

He snapped.

"Excuse me," he said, standing, barely managing to keep his voice from a growl. Tidus stalked into the dense shrubbery, bringing a tiny glowing sigil along for light. His mind was made up.

He was going.

Even the thought made him nervous. While his determined half was set on his decision, another part of him had doubts. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe he should turn back. Maybe _he_ wouldn't even turn up, and he could just go back to camp and say he had gone for walk. It was valid enough. He didn't have to go. He was just having a bad day and after a little time to chill everything would be okay. He didn't have to go. In fact, he could go back right now. That's right, his mind said, pinning his determined half down and draining his confidence. There's no point in going. I'll regret it. And he's not here anyway, so I just…I just…

He held two large branches out of the way. And stopped.

"Hello."

He stared at the tall figure of Maester Seymour, dressed in his robes and standing a short distance away from him, holding out a hand.

"You…you came…" Tidus croaked. Seymour smiled at him.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

A silence.

Then, without warning, he dropped the sigil and ran to him, wrapping his arms around Seymour. "Yes," Tidus's muffled voice came against his shirt. "Yes, yes, yes. Please. Take me with you. Don't…don't leave…please…"

A hand rested on his back. "I won't," Seymour replied quietly. Tidus let go.

"Th-thank you…" he whispered. His eyes closed.

"Oh…!" Seymour stepped forward to catch him as he gave into exhaustion. Pulling Tidus up into his chest, Seymour looked around a last time before warping the space with his magic and disappearing from the forest.

A small, half-horned Ronso watched from behind a tree.

…………………………………………

Seymour opened the door to his mansion with one hand, still carrying the unconscious Tidus. A Guado maid, bustling along with an empty laundry basket, quickly walked over to him.

"Lord Seymour, sir! Welcome back, you had no trouble, hopefully? We had a bit of a tussle with one of the fiends. Came from Thunder Plains., got in the house. That lovely blitzball player, what was his name? Nav, I think. Or Zazi…? Well, he helped us, bless him. Tromell went with Hakasu and those two new guards, Yevon help me if I could remember their names, so long...! How are you? Will you require anything? Potion? Water? Tea, perhaps? Food? I could—" Finally noticing the limp body in his arms, she stopped rambling. "You have brought a guest? Is he alright?"

"He is resting. He will be fine."

The maid squinted at Tidus. "Isn't that one of them that was with…"

"None of that matters. He will stay with us from now. I shall watch over him tonight, but could you prepare a room for him for when he recovers?"

The maid, surprised but unarguing, nodded. "I'll get Sayaka to tidy up the empty one in the second hall. Would you like me to bring you anything?"

"Some water, thank you. Perhaps some fruit."

The maid nodded frantically. "Water, fruit. I'll get to you as soon as possible, Lord." She ran down the hall, laundry basket all but forgotten.

…………………………………………

Seymour carefully pushed the door to his private room open with his back, stepping in and out of its way as it swung closed again. He muttered a quick spell to lock it and ensure privacy.

The room was fairly large, and well-furnished; a giant bed cloaked by an extravagant canopy stood in the center of the east wall, crystalline windows partially made of the same essence of spheres to give it an added clarity were covered by heavy curtains embroidered with moonlilies and Yevon's sign. On the polished dresser was a tall, crystal vase filled with an assortment of flowers, including a single white moonlily that contained several pyreflies still flitting about its petals. A tiny ornament, a trinket of chocobo feathers strung by silk threads and tiny, glittering spheres hung off a small hook on a decorative wooden statue. The walls pulsed with a comforting green glow.

Walking over to the lounge couch he carefully set Tidus onto it, seating himself at one end and arranging it so Tidus's head rested on his lap. Seymour smiled down at him, watching quietly as he slept.

"It's alright now. You are safe."

......................................

Updates? Delusion?


End file.
